The Elizabethan era was also the Age of Exploration
that began the Golden Age of Piracy as depicted in movies
such as "Pirates of the Caribbean" (which is
set a century after Elizabeth the First's reign). Many
Elizabethan explorers became known as pirates from
their attacks on the Spanish treasure fleet and the Spanish
colonies. Far from discouraging this practice, Queen Elizabeth
the First was happy to let her 'pirates' raid her enemies,
particularly Spain, making a majority of them "Privateers"
- legitimate pirates - and giving them "Letters
of Marque", giving them official sanction to raid and
plunder England's enemies. Therefore she, as the monarch, could
claim a large size of their bounty. As a result, their pirate
activities brought wealth and power to England.
The Spanish Main was a favorite hunting ground for many
pirates of the Elizabethan age. Spain was branching
out into the New World, establishing colonies throughout the coastal
regions of the Americas surrounding the Caribbean Sea.
Many of the Elizabethan Pirates used Caribbean islands
as their bases, one of which would become the legendary pirate
haunt of Tortuga a century later.
Many of these Elizabethan 'Privateers' or 'Pirates'
became very wealthy from their profits, even when sharing them
with Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Frances Drake, one of
the most famous Privateers of the time became one of the
most wealthy men of the Elizabethan era. Other famous Elizabethan
pirates include Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Humphrey
Gilbert, Sir Martin Frobisher, Sir Richard Grenville,, Sir Richard Hawkins and his son
Sir John Hawkins. Notice that they're all "Sirs"?
All of these men also held respected positions in the Elizabethan
Court and fought the Spanish Amarda during the great
war of 1588. Despite their acts of 'piracy' or maybe because
of them, they were also considered true patriots and assets to
England and the Court of Queen Elizabeth the First. |
